Hort shorts
- Nasturtiums are versatile annuals that bloom in an array of vivid and pastel colors and have beautiful round leaves. The buds, flowers and leaves add a peppery zing to fresh salads. Nasturtiums perform well in average soil in pots or beds. In fact, too much fertilizer will promote foliage growth at the expense of blooms. Give them plenty of water and full sun (with a little afternoon protection in hot climates). Compact and trailing varieties are available.
- Seed fallow spots in vegetable beds with a thick cover of peas or beans to suppress weeds and fix nitrogen in the soil.
- Leaf lettuce is the ultimate cut-and-come-again garden veggie. Leaves can be harvested to the base of the plant as needed, and a new “salad” will soon return. Look for the popular mesclun or baby lettuce seed mixes for a quick-growing gourmet treat. Plant this cool-season crop as soon as the soil can be worked in spring.